Alarm Bells Ringing in Tunisia Over Alarming Rise of Diabetes
Projections are ominous, with Dr. Rafka Mouelhi, a specialist in the food industry and university professor, warning that 25% of Tunisians could develop the disease by 2027. This translates to 1 in 4 Tunisians becoming diabetic.
The Prevalence of Diabetes in Tunisia
Diabetes, like hypertension, has been a long-standing health issue in Tunisia, affecting many families where genetic predisposition plays a significant role in the spread of the disease. Sugar is ubiquitous in the daily diet of Tunisians, particularly in bread, which is rich in sugars and widely consumed across all social classes. The consumption of industrialized sugary products, such as soft drinks and juices, further exacerbates the risks associated with excessive sugar intake.
The Threat of Sugar, a Warning for Youth
Dr. Mouelhi expressed deep concern over food products intended for children that contain extremely high levels of sugar, sometimes equivalent to ten pieces of sugar in a single product. This often unconscious overconsumption is worsened by a lack of transparency, with unclear or insufficient information on product packaging making it difficult for consumers to make informed choices. The unregulated marketing of these highly sugary products contributes to the deterioration of public health.
Dr. Mouelhi emphasizes that poor nutrition is not just an individual choice but the result of a system that neglects citizen safety. The burden heavily falls on the health of young Tunisians, who are most exposed to detrimental eating habits.
Prevention Among Young People
Young individuals are the primary concern regarding the ravages of diabetes. In the face of these dire projections, prevention becomes an absolute priority, especially among children and adolescents. Measures to counter the progression of diabetes must be articulated around several axes, starting with awareness and nutritional education in schools and within families.
Integrating nutritional education into school programs and sensitizing parents to the dangers of hidden sugars and ultra-processed foods has become necessary. "Intelligent consumption" enables young people to decipher nutritional labels, recognize different sugar appellations, and make informed dietary choices. Revising policies and commercial regulations may impose taxes on sugar, even though industrial sugar has already seen adjustments in this direction.
Proposed Measures
- Implementing taxes on excessively sugary drinks and foods to discourage consumption, a policy already adopted by several countries.
- Banning misleading marketing claims targeting children for unhealthy products. Simplified labeling with a nutri-score should be required from manufacturers.
- Adopting a clear and simple front-labeling system to help consumers quickly evaluate a product's nutritional quality.
- Increasing control and surveillance. The state must intensify checks on manufacturers to ensure compliance with food composition standards, particularly regarding sugar, fat, and salt content. Creating a favorable environment and promoting the availability and accessibility of fresh, unprocessed foods in school canteens and local areas is crucial.
School Policies for Better Nutrition
Schools can play a fundamental role in transforming the food environment and educating students from a young age. Specific measures that Tunisian schools could adopt include:
- Prohibiting ultra-sugary products: Implementing a strict ban on the sale and distribution of sodas, industrial fruit juices rich in added sugars, pastries, candies, and salty/sugary snacks like chips and industrial biscuits in school canteens, cafeterias, and kiosks.
- Healthy canteen charter: Establishing obligatory nutritional standards for served meals, including increasing the share of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean proteins, while limiting saturated fats, salt, and added sugars.
- Nutrition workshops: Integrating interactive nutrition workshops into the curriculum, including deciphering labels to identify hidden sugars, salts, and additives. Organizing practical cooking sessions to prepare healthy snacks and balanced meals, promoting local and seasonal products.
- Programs for health ambassadors: Training volunteer students as "health ambassadors" to raise awareness among their peers about positive food choices and the benefits of physical activity.
- Parental involvement: Organizing regular information sessions for parents on the importance of balanced breakfasts, appropriate portions, and limiting sugar at home. Encouraging physical activity to boost energy and health, with increased time allocated to physical education and active recess to combat sedentariness, a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes.
- Infrastructure development: Ensuring the availability and maintenance of sports fields and equipment to encourage games and physical exercises during and after school hours.
By rigorously applying these measures, schools can create a protective environment and form a generation aware of nutritional challenges, thus reducing the alarming incidence of diabetes in Tunisia.
